44 
HIVES. 
as from hives much larger ; also, there is room for honey 
sufficient to carry the bees through the winter, at least, 
in many sections south of 40 degrees latitude, where 
the winter is somewhat short. 
SIZE FOR WARM LATITUDES. 
This size will also do in this latitude (42 degrees,) 
in some seasons, but not at all in others.* Not one 
swarm in fifty will consume twenty-five lbs. of honey 
through the winter, that is, from the last of September 
to the first of April, (six months). The average loss 
in that time is about eighteen lbs. ; but the critical 
time is later ; about the last of May, or first of June, 
in many places. 
LARGER HIVE MORE SAFE FOR LONG WINTERS OR BACKWARD 
SPRING. 
About the first of April they commence collecting 
pollen and rearing their young; by the middle 
of May all good stocks will occupy nearljq if not 
quite all, their brood-combs for that purpose, but little 
honey is obtained before fruit blossoms appear ; when 
these are gone, no more of any amount is obtained 
until clover appears, which is some teu days later. 
(I am speaking now particularly of this section ; I am 
aware it is very different in other places, where dif- 
ferent flowers exist.) Now if this season of fruit flow- 
* When Mr. Miner wrote his manual recommending this size, 1728 
inches, for all situations, it should be remembered he lived on Long 
Island. Since removing to Oneida County jn this Stute, either his 
own experience or some other cause has changed his views, as he now 
recommends my size, viz., 2000 inches. 
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